Provincial councils must be responsible for social-economic development of their provinces

MDC Alliance senator Lillian Timveos has said the provincial councils must be fully made responsible for the econpomic development of their provinces according to the clauses in the constitution.

Timveos made the remarks in parliament.

"Provincial councils or devolution are responsible for the social-economic development of their provinces.  They plan, implement social and economic development activities in their provinces.  They manage resources , they manage even tourism and it is them that know the places of interest than can actually make money for the fiscus," she said.

"They also monitor and evaluate, like I said the resources in their provinces.  If we had already, since the Constitution came into effect in 2013, if we had already implemented this devolution and provincial councils, we would not be complaining of being poor.  It is because provinces are the ones that know where the resources are.  It is also them that know that this road is damaged and needs to be fixed.  It is also them that know that this clinic needs attention, it needs to be built.  It is them that know that their children are travelling 10 kms, 20kms away from the schools that they attend."

She said when she hears the country saying that we do not have money, her heart bleeds.

"I come from the Midlands.  In the Midlands, Mapanzura area where the President of the day comes from, we have these Chinese people that are actually mining chrome in that area.  The community there has benefited nothing, zero from these Chinese.  All they have benefited are big holes and when the community called them that is the Chiefs, Headman from that area to say why are you doing this?  The Chinese then felt ashamed and actually bought exercises books and donated to Mapanzure Primary School.  So, the community in that area, only the school benefited exercise books," she said.

"The Constitution is clear that the resources from that area must benefit mostly the people that live in that area. So, how can we benefit if there is no devolution and there is no implementation of these provincial councils?  There is no where the Government can really know what is happening on the ground unless they are told by the team that sits in the devolution.  Yes, every time we go to the election since 2013, we have members who sit in these councils and they are never considered.  We are shortchanging ourselves.  What I am realizing is that the outside nationals are actually the ones that are benefiting.  It is painful to see big bags full of chrome which is being put into eroplanes going to China."

She said China is building big buildings at our expense, using our raw materials, what are we getting in return?

"The only thing that we are getting is T-shirts that go to the ruling party, that is the only thing that we are getting. It is time we negotiate deals that benefit our people, it is time we negotiate deals.." he said.